Heb 3:1-6 | KingComments | STEP | . With the first word “therefore”, the writer of the letter makes a strong connection between the two previous chapters and what is following. In the chapters 1 and 2 he magnificently presented the glories of the Lord Jesus to the readers including you. Because He is so tremendously exalted and yet also so near, therefore you must keep looking to Him. In that way you will be able to keep on going on the path of faith, right through all temptations and afflictions. You will not be discouraged if it gets tough, for you keep focusing on Him Who is far beyond everything and Who leads and helps you. Look at how you are addressed here. You hear that well, “holy brethren”. Do you remember that the Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call the faithful believers ‘brethren’ ( )? You are even addressed as a “holy” brother. You are one of those whom the Lord Jesus has sanctified and whom He has connected to Himself ( ). And still it doesn’t stop there, for you are also one of the “partakers of a heavenly calling”. Israel had an earthly calling and hope. But together with these Jewish Christians you partake of a new privilege. It is about something you get by the calling of Christ from heaven. That’s why this privilege is not limited to those who are members of God’s earthly people by natural birth, but it applies to everyone who is connected to the Lord Jesus by faith. It is a calling from heaven, that is the origin, where this calling comes from, and it is a calling to heavenly glory, that is the purpose of the calling, that’s where the journey goes to (cf. ; ). With regard to the earth it means: loss of earthly blessings together with the endurance of rejection, suffering and shame. The letter shows this from beginning to end. But that is no deterioration. You and everyone who keeps focusing his eyes on the Lord Jesus like that, get something better instead. It is like the many believers in the Old Testament, who knew that they would not partake of the millennial kingdom during their life, but did not mourn about it. They indeed learnt to look forward to a better country and that is their heavenly country. To be able to persevere it is necessary that you focus all your attention on “Jesus”. This Name opens a world of rejection on the one hand and a world of glory on the other hand. Every time when the name ‘Jesus’ appears in the Bible without an addition like ‘Lord’ or ‘Christ’, God wants to fix our thoughts on two aspects. On the one hand on Him like He once was as a humble Man on earth and Who was rejected by people. On the other hand God shows us that it was just that Man Whom He glorified with Him in heaven and that it is exactly in that Name that every knee shall bow ( ). To Him you already testified, because you already bowed your knees for Him. You confess Him to the people around you. But what you confess in the world, you first had to learn to see in the sanctuary. Therefore this calling “consider … Jesus”. You see Him as the One Who came from God to His people as “Apostle” to reveal God’s thoughts to them. You also see Him as “High Priest”, that is as the One Who went to God on behalf of God’s people to represent them to God. As ‘Apostle’ He is the true Moses and as ‘High Priest’ He is the true Aaron. . After describing His functions the writer emphasizes the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. How important is faithfulness! What is the advantage if someone has the highest and most powerful function, but is not faithful in practicing it? The Lord Jesus is faithful. He is faithful to God, Who appointed Him as Apostle and High Priest “in all His house”. ‘His house’ may remind you of the tabernacle or maybe also of ‘the house of Israel’, with which God’s people is meant ( ). . God also could testify of Moses that he was faithful in God’s house ( ). Moses might have resembled Christ concerning his faithfulness, yet Christ far surpasses Moses, as He also far surpassed the angels in the previous chapters. Moses was not the builder of the house, not of the tabernacle, nor of Israel. Moses was not above the house, he was part of it, while Christ is the Builder of it. The glory of the Builder is reflected in the house. The writer is easy to understand. He says: ‘If you see a house, you know that there is a builder.’ The Builder is God the Son. He is the Builder of the universe, the Builder of the tabernacle, of Israel and of the church. As Builder He is the source of all His buildings. He has invented and executed them ( ; ; ) and He dwells in them. Christ goes beyond all things. Moses was only connected to the house of Israel, but the Lord Jesus is connected to all things, without limit. . Here the writer refers again to the faithfulness of Moses in all God’s house. God designed this house and Moses executed God’s design ( ; ). He was God’s minister in His house and therefore part of the house. His ministry consisted of passing on to the people what God spoke to him in the tabernacle ( ). . And again the comparison is made between Christ and Moses. In the comparison indicates that there is an accordance between Christ and Moses regarding faithfulness. Regarding the house of God, there appears to be a clear difference. Moses was a minister, indeed an honored minister, in the house, but Christ is Son over the house, which is even His house. And then the writer clarifies almost unexpectedly the meaning of the house of the Son. Until now, when you think of the house of God, you have always thought of the tabernacle. And rightly so. However, now it appears that still something else is meant by the house, for you read “whose house we are”. That means that the believers are the house of the Son. By itself that is not a new thought. Paul has already used earlier the picture of the house in his metaphor of the church to indicate certain aspects of the church of God ( ; ; ; ). The house as a picture of the church puts the emphasis on the dwelling of God in the church and it emphasizes that the order which is in the house, is His order. In the letter to the Hebrews God’s people are not really seen as the church, but as a company of pilgrims that is on their way to the promised blessing. This company is also seen as a people of priests. The house of God has to do with the latter. The house of God is a house in which priestly service happens. In it Christ exercises His priestly service and the believers do that in imitation of Him. In the Old Testament you see that Aaron was in charge of the priestly family of the service that was exercised in God’s house, the tabernacle. The believers are now that priestly family ( ) of which the true Aaron is in charge, the Lord Jesus, as Son over His house. The word “if” that now follows, may possibly give the impression that what is previously said, suddenly is made doubtful. What does it mean? On the one hand you know for sure that as a believer you belong to the house of the Son. On the other hand it seems like because of the word ‘if’ a condition is connected to it. You are a member of the church, but you should persevere till the end, otherwise you will apostatize. That’s what it says, isn’t it? Is that really what is meant? That is really not what is meant. He who has ever become a child of God by conversion and faith, is forever a child of God ( ). This is the word of the Lord Jesus and is therefore above every doubt. There is no such thing as apostacy of saints. He who apostatizes proves that he has never been a child of God. The word ‘if’ has to do with the responsibility each confessor has. You are a confessor too, for you confess the Lord Jesus as your Lord. The same goes for me. The course of time makes clear whether someone is really a Christian or whether he is a Christian only by name. The pseudo Christian sooner or later gives up, but the true believer perseveres till the end. That is not a matter of sowing doubt, but the addressing each individual on his confession. You are to hold fast the confidence and the boast of the hope. If you do not hold fast the confidence, you will end up like the Israelites in the wilderness, who by unbelief never reached the promised land. This is explained in the next verses. If your confession is real, you will hold fast, for you will ask God to give you the strength to be able to. You will then hold fast the confidence to testify of Someone Whom you are only able to see by faith. You will also hold fast the boasting of your hope in a future in which He really will be seen, but then in power and majesty. If you hold fast your “confidence and the boast of our hope”, you will surely be able to resist each temptation to return to your former life. Now read Hebrews 3:1-6 again. Reflection: How is the Lord Jesus presented in this portion and why?

‏ Hebrews 3:1-6

Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest

Heb 3:1. With the first word “therefore”, the writer of the letter makes a strong connection between the two previous chapters and what is following. In the chapters 1 and 2 he magnificently presented the glories of the Lord Jesus to the readers including you. Because He is so tremendously exalted and yet also so near, therefore you must keep looking to Him. In that way you will be able to keep on going on the path of faith, right through all temptations and afflictions. You will not be discouraged if it gets tough, for you keep focusing on Him Who is far beyond everything and Who leads and helps you.

Look at how you are addressed here. You hear that well, “holy brethren”. Do you remember that the Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call the faithful believers ‘brethren’ (Heb 2:11b)? You are even addressed as a “holy” brother. You are one of those whom the Lord Jesus has sanctified and whom He has connected to Himself (Heb 2:11a).

And still it doesn’t stop there, for you are also one of the “partakers of a heavenly calling”. Israel had an earthly calling and hope. But together with these Jewish Christians you partake of a new privilege. It is about something you get by the calling of Christ from heaven. That’s why this privilege is not limited to those who are members of God’s earthly people by natural birth, but it applies to everyone who is connected to the Lord Jesus by faith. It is a calling from heaven, that is the origin, where this calling comes from, and it is a calling to heavenly glory, that is the purpose of the calling, that’s where the journey goes to (cf. Phil 3:14; 2Tim 1:9).

With regard to the earth it means: loss of earthly blessings together with the endurance of rejection, suffering and shame. The letter shows this from beginning to end. But that is no deterioration. You and everyone who keeps focusing his eyes on the Lord Jesus like that, get something better instead. It is like the many believers in the Old Testament, who knew that they would not partake of the millennial kingdom during their life, but did not mourn about it. They indeed learnt to look forward to a better country and that is their heavenly country.

To be able to persevere it is necessary that you focus all your attention on “Jesus”. This Name opens a world of rejection on the one hand and a world of glory on the other hand. Every time when the name ‘Jesus’ appears in the Bible without an addition like ‘Lord’ or ‘Christ’, God wants to fix our thoughts on two aspects. On the one hand on Him like He once was as a humble Man on earth and Who was rejected by people. On the other hand God shows us that it was just that Man Whom He glorified with Him in heaven and that it is exactly in that Name that every knee shall bow (Phil 2:10).

To Him you already testified, because you already bowed your knees for Him. You confess Him to the people around you. But what you confess in the world, you first had to learn to see in the sanctuary. Therefore this calling “consider … Jesus”. You see Him as the One Who came from God to His people as “Apostle” to reveal God’s thoughts to them. You also see Him as “High Priest”, that is as the One Who went to God on behalf of God’s people to represent them to God. As ‘Apostle’ He is the true Moses and as ‘High Priest’ He is the true Aaron.

Heb 3:2. After describing His functions the writer emphasizes the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. How important is faithfulness! What is the advantage if someone has the highest and most powerful function, but is not faithful in practicing it? The Lord Jesus is faithful. He is faithful to God, Who appointed Him as Apostle and High Priest “in all His house”. ‘His house’ may remind you of the tabernacle or maybe also of ‘the house of Israel’, with which God’s people is meant (Heb 8:8).

Heb 3:3-4. God also could testify of Moses that he was faithful in God’s house (Num 12:7). Moses might have resembled Christ concerning his faithfulness, yet Christ far surpasses Moses, as He also far surpassed the angels in the previous chapters. Moses was not the builder of the house, not of the tabernacle, nor of Israel. Moses was not above the house, he was part of it, while Christ is the Builder of it. The glory of the Builder is reflected in the house.

The writer is easy to understand. He says: ‘If you see a house, you know that there is a builder.’ The Builder is God the Son. He is the Builder of the universe, the Builder of the tabernacle, of Israel and of the church. As Builder He is the source of all His buildings. He has invented and executed them (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2) and He dwells in them. Christ goes beyond all things. Moses was only connected to the house of Israel, but the Lord Jesus is connected to all things, without limit.

Heb 3:5. Here the writer refers again to the faithfulness of Moses in all God’s house. God designed this house and Moses executed God’s design (Heb 8:5; Exo 25:9 ; 40). He was God’s minister in His house and therefore part of the house. His ministry consisted of passing on to the people what God spoke to him in the tabernacle (Exo 25:21-22).

Heb 3:6. And again the comparison is made between Christ and Moses. In Heb 3:2 the comparison indicates that there is an accordance between Christ and Moses regarding faithfulness. Regarding the house of God, there appears to be a clear difference. Moses was a minister, indeed an honored minister, in the house, but Christ is Son over the house, which is even His house.

And then the writer clarifies almost unexpectedly the meaning of the house of the Son. Until now, when you think of the house of God, you have always thought of the tabernacle. And rightly so. However, now it appears that still something else is meant by the house, for you read “whose house we are”. That means that the believers are the house of the Son.

By itself that is not a new thought. Paul has already used earlier the picture of the house in his metaphor of the church to indicate certain aspects of the church of God (1Cor 3:16; Eph 2:21; 1Pet 2:5; 1Tim 3:15). The house as a picture of the church puts the emphasis on the dwelling of God in the church and it emphasizes that the order which is in the house, is His order.

In the letter to the Hebrews God’s people are not really seen as the church, but as a company of pilgrims that is on their way to the promised blessing. This company is also seen as a people of priests. The house of God has to do with the latter. The house of God is a house in which priestly service happens. In it Christ exercises His priestly service and the believers do that in imitation of Him. In the Old Testament you see that Aaron was in charge of the priestly family of the service that was exercised in God’s house, the tabernacle. The believers are now that priestly family (1Pet 2:5) of which the true Aaron is in charge, the Lord Jesus, as Son over His house.

The word “if” that now follows, may possibly give the impression that what is previously said, suddenly is made doubtful. What does it mean? On the one hand you know for sure that as a believer you belong to the house of the Son. On the other hand it seems like because of the word ‘if’ a condition is connected to it. You are a member of the church, but you should persevere till the end, otherwise you will apostatize. That’s what it says, isn’t it? Is that really what is meant?

That is really not what is meant. He who has ever become a child of God by conversion and faith, is forever a child of God (Jn 10:28-29). This is the word of the Lord Jesus and is therefore above every doubt. There is no such thing as apostacy of saints. He who apostatizes proves that he has never been a child of God. The word ‘if’ has to do with the responsibility each confessor has. You are a confessor too, for you confess the Lord Jesus as your Lord. The same goes for me.

The course of time makes clear whether someone is really a Christian or whether he is a Christian only by name. The pseudo Christian sooner or later gives up, but the true believer perseveres till the end. That is not a matter of sowing doubt, but the addressing each individual on his confession. You are to hold fast the confidence and the boast of the hope. If you do not hold fast the confidence, you will end up like the Israelites in the wilderness, who by unbelief never reached the promised land. This is explained in the next verses.

If your confession is real, you will hold fast, for you will ask God to give you the strength to be able to. You will then hold fast the confidence to testify of Someone Whom you are only able to see by faith. You will also hold fast the boasting of your hope in a future in which He really will be seen, but then in power and majesty. If you hold fast your “confidence and the boast of our hope”, you will surely be able to resist each temptation to return to your former life.

Now read Hebrews 3:1-6 again.

Reflection: How is the Lord Jesus presented in this portion and why?